Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is an effective treatment for obstructive hydrocephalus (HCP) at the level of third or fourth ventricle. To date, there is no consensus regarding its role as intervention preceding the operation of tumour removal. The aim of this prospective open-label controlled study is to assess if ETV prevents secondary HCP after tumour removal and if ETV influences the early results of tumour surgery. The study was performed on 68 patients operated for tumours of the third ventricle and posterior fossa. In 30 patients, ETV was performed several days before tumour removal, while in 38 patients, the tumour was removed during a one-stage procedure without ETV. Patients who did not receive ETV before the tumour removal procedure had a higher probability of developing postoperative HCP (n = 12, p = 0.03). They also demonstrated a substantially higher rate of early postoperative complications (n = 20, p = 0.002) and a lower Karnofsky score (p = 0.004) than patients in whom ETV was performed before tumour removal. The performance of external ventricular drainage in the non-ETV group did not prevent secondary HCP (p = 0.68). Postoperative cerebellar swelling (p = 0.01), haematoma (p = 0.04), cerebrospinal fluid leak (p = 0.04) and neuroinfection (p = 0.04) were the main risk factors of persistent HCP. Performance of ETV before tumour removal is not only beneficial for control of acute HCP but also prevents the occurrence of secondary postoperative HCP and may also minimize early postoperative complications.

The aim of the study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of stereotactic brain tumour biopsy (STx biopsy) guided by low-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) in comparison with its frameless classic analogue based on a prospective randomized trial. A pilot group of 42 brain tumour patients was prospectively randomized into a low-field iMRI group and a control group that underwent a frameless STx biopsy. The primary endpoints of the analysis were postoperative complication rate and diagnostic yield, and the secondary endpoints were length of hospital stay and duration of operation. The iMRI group (21 patients) and the control group (21 patients) did not differ significantly according to demographic and epidemiological data. No major postoperative complications were noted in either group. In addition, no significant differences in the diagnostic yield (p = 1.00) and length of hospital stay (p = 0.16) were observed. The mean total OR time was 111 ± 24 min in iMRI and 78 ± 29 min in the control group (p = 0.0001). Usage of iMRI may prolong the time of the procedure but seems to be comparable in safety and effectiveness to the standard frameless STx biopsy.

There are many techniques and devices for measurement and recording of arterial blood pressure. Some of them allow (enable) additionally to observe the shape of a wave of arterial pressure, which can be regarded as one of the most important diagnostic parameters of human cardiovascular system. This paper presents a novel design and prototype of a new, non-invasive blood waveform measuring device. It expounds theoretical and experimental (including latest preliminary clinical) results obtained during several years of extensive investigations into blood pressure waveform measuring and monitoring problem. According to investigations performed in the laboratory and preliminary clinical evaluation, the sensor has linear steady-state characteristics and satisfactory dynamic properties. It is an efficient and accurate tool for blood pressure waveform monitoring and assessing the cardiovascular condition of the patients. The novelty of this solution is that the device is equipped with a pneumatic pressure sensor based on the pneumatic nozzle flapper amplifier principle with negative feedback. Due to such a technical solution, the device does not require any cuff, which remains an essential component of the majority of contemporary non-invasive blood pressure measurement devices; therefore, it can be used on the artery where the application of a cuff would be impossible (e.g., carotid artery). This advantage makes possible to obtain an accurate shape of blood pressure waveform with high fidelity, comparable to a direct measurement method. Moreover, during the measurement the device converts directly "pressure into pressure." Such a principle of operation makes possible to eliminate additional calibration (at the current stage of research we have eliminated the necessity of calibration in laboratory conditions).

Głęboka stymulacja mózgu (ang. Deep Brain Stimulation, DBS) to metoda leczenia, która jest obecnie obiektem coraz większej uwagi ze strony psychiatrów. Udowodniono, że jest skuteczna i bezpieczna w leczeniu zaburzeń neurologicznych, przede wszystkim choroby Parkinsona (PD), dystonii i drżenia samoistnego. DBS bardzo często pozwala na skuteczne leczenie w przypadkach opornych na wszystkie inne metody terapii. Obecnie oporne na leczenie zaburzenie obsesyjno-kompulsyjne (OCD) pozostaje głównym potwierdzonym zasadami EBM wskazaniem psychiatrycznym dla DBS. Wiele badań koncentruje się na ocenie skuteczności i bezpieczeństwa tej metody w innych zaburzeniach psychicznych, w tym w zaburzeniach depresyjnych, chorobie Alzheimera, jadłowstręcie psychicznym, zespole Tourette'a, uzależnieniu od substancji psychoaktywnych lub zachowaniach agresywnych.W ostatnich latach opisywano również pojedyncze przypadki skutecznego leczenia zaburzenia dwubiegunowego, schizofrenii i zespołu stresu pourazowego. W niniejszym opracowaniu przedstawiono aktualny stan wiedzy na temat przydatności DBS w psychiatrii w oparciu o dostępne przeglądy systematyczne, badania kliniczne i studia przypadków jak również o dane neurofizjologiczne i neuroobrazowe.

Low-field iMR-ventriculography is a safe procedure that can be successfully applied during ETV to determine the site of obstruction in hydrocephalus and the patency of performed ventricle fenestration.